| Comment on banquo’s speech beginning “theres husbandry in heaven…” and ending “…in repose” remember that this play would have been preformed in the daytime, using natural lights | The sublight represents lights of heaven shining down |
| After his servant leaves him Macbeth imagines he can see something. what is it? Explain why, you think, Macbeth sees this, especially at this time and place | He sees a dagger floating to Duncan’s room to show he has no choice but to kill him |
| When lady Macbeth says, “that which hath made them drunk hath made me bold”, what does she mean? Who are “them” and why should she want them to be drunk | What got them drunk got her drunk with boldness and fire, and them are the servants |
| Sometimes Shakespeare shows killing onstage (mostly at the end of the play) why, in your view, is the killing of Duncan not shown, but understood to happen offstage? | For the audience to create their own imagery |
| How is Macbeth’s mind affected by the murder of Duncan | It makes him go a little crazy he was talked into killing him by lady Macbeth and was opposed to it since the beginning |
| Who is more practical after the killing, Macbeth or lady Macbeth? | Lady Macbeth is more practical after the killing because she’s the one who remembered to put the daggers into the hands of the servants and she was able to keep calm the whole time |
| The scene featuring the porter makes a great contrast with what goes before and after it can you explain why Shakespeare should use comedy at this point in an otherwise not very comical play? | To add comic relief after Duncan dies. It contrasts how Macbeth thinks he’s going to hell for what he did and the porter is a metaphor for the gatekeeper of hell |
| After Duncan’s death, Macbeth says “all but toys” explain what you think he means by satin this. He is of course concealing his part in the murder but do you think he is sincere when he makes this statement, why? | It’s a real reaction because he feels guilty for killing Duncan he means all is good but but good meaning all is everything but good |
| How do Malcom and Donalbain react to the murder of their father? Is this a wise course of action? Give reasons in favor of this and against it. Can you think of any other things they might do in this situation | They feel like they’re next so their first instinct is to flee, this is a wise action because Macbeth would have had them killed |
| An old man tells Ross about a “mousing owl” that killed a falcon and about Duncan’s horses turning wild and eating each other what might be the point of this speech comment on the idea of things being “unnatural at this point in the play | He does this to emphasize the upsetting order of things |
| What does Macbeth see (hallucinates) on the way to Duncan’s room and what does it say about his nature | He incisions bloody dangers and what this says about his nature is that killing Duncan is something he’s guilty about |
| What is symbolic about lady Macbeth washing her hands when she returns from planting the daggers in the hands of the kings servants | Lady Macbeth is still going to have the guilt of her actions and she is able to wash away the blood on her hands but not her sin |
| What fears do Malcom and Donalbain have because of their fathers death and where does each plan go | Duncan’s sons decide to leave Scotland and the fears they have are that their lives are in danger |
Macbeth act 2
September 12, 2019